2016 Château Pape Clément 2016 12000mL

98 POINTS

Stuart Pigott - JamesSuckling.com

Stunning concentration of perfectly ripe blackcurrants here with a delicate whiff of vanilla oak and extremely fine tannins that are almost perfectly integrated on the seductive and delicate palate, right through the almost literally breathtaking, super-long and very polished finish. Try from 2022.

97 POINTS

Yves Beck - Yvesbeck.wine

Rouge grenat dense aux reflets pourpres. Ce sont les fruits et les épices qui dominent le nez de Pape Clément 2016, avec beaucoup de finesse et nombreuses facettes. Agréables notes de bois de réglisse et de fruits noirs. Au palais, le vin est compact, ample et doté de tannins imposants, aux grains fins. Comme beaucoup de grands vins, Pape Clément sait combiner l'ampleur et la finesse. Finale fruitée, épicée, rafraîchissante et persistante. Un vin auquel il sera difficile de résister et pourtant il mérite un peu de garde pour encore mieux se révéler ! 2024-2041 97/100

97 POINTS

Jeb Dunnuck

Tasted on two separate occasions, the 2016 Château Pape Clément never failed to impress, offering a huge, powerful, full-bodied personality as well as beautiful notes of cassis, graphite, high-class cigar tobacco, asphalt, and graphite. About as sexy as it gets in the vintage, with silky tannins and loads of fruit, it’s perfectly balanced and has a great finish. The 2016 is a blend of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, all raised in 60% new barrels.

97 POINTS

James Suckling

This is phenomenal with a density and finesse that are hard to remember for this wine. Full-bodied, tight and polished. Seamless texture and salty undertones. Goes on for minutes. Truly great. What a barrel sample. Points: 97-98

97 POINTS

Bettane & Desseauve

Moitié cabernet, moitié merlot comme ses voisins de Pessac, et une merveilleuse texture au service d’une expression de terroir marquante, elle aussi, par la précocité des notes fumées (créosote) liées au merlot sur les terres de cette commune. Grand vin plus harmonieux que le 2015 à sa naissance.

96 POINTS

Lisa Perrotti-Brown MW - Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Blended of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, the 2016 Pape Clement has a deep garnet-purple color and quite a serious, earthy nose with truffles, tilled soil, underbrush and smoked meats over a cassis, baked plums and redcurrants core plus a touch of lavender. Medium to full-bodied, firm and grainy, the palate is built like a brick house, supporting muscular black fruit and earthy notions and finishing very long and mineral laced.

96 POINTS

Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

Very dark ruby in color, the smoky blackberries, cigar box and licorice aromatics are singing. There is a lot of freshness to the fruit, and the lower alcohol levels make the wine feel lighter and refreshing on the palate, especially in the silky finish. This vintage shows elegance, complexity and restraint. The wine was produced from a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, reaching 13.5% alcohol. The wine is being aged in 60% new, French oak barrels. The harvest took place from September 13 to October 19. 

96 POINTS

Jeff Leve - The Wine Cellar Insider

Very dark ruby in color, the smoky blackberries, cigar box and licorice aromatics are singing. There is a lot of freshness to the fruit, and the lower alcohol levels make the wine feel lighter and refreshing on the palate, especially in the silky finish. This vintage shows elegance, complexity and restraint. The wine was produced from a blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, reaching 13.5% alcohol. The wine is being aged in 60% new, French oak barrels. The harvest took place from September 13 to October 19.